58 SALMON MANUFACTORV. 



it settles down, and by gently applying a few buckets of water at the upper 

 end of the boxes the ova are taken down and distributed equally among the 

 gravel. When the young fry are in a proper state the)? are allowed to escape 

 into a pond situated at a foot lower level than the boxes, where they will 

 be fed, and allowed to remain, until such time as they are in a fit state 

 to be turned into the river. This pond is not yet made, but will be finished 

 by the time the fry are hatched. Great care has been taken to prevent 

 any animal entering with the water that would prey upon the young fish. 



Mr. Rarasbottom, from Clitheroe, (who has experimented successfully for 

 the Messrs. Ashworth, on the Lough Corrib waters, in Ireland,) has the 

 sole management of the Tay ponds. Saturday was a remarkable fine day for 

 the season, and we were privileged in being present at the operation of 

 stripping the fish. When we arrived Mr. Ramsbottom had already got about 

 fifteen thousand ova in round tin cans, and he showed us an oval-shaped tin 

 box with a lid, which contained a small male fish swimming in water, which, 

 he said, was waiting for his mate. Presently the net was shot in the Tay 

 at the mouth of the Almond, when two fine female fish ripe for spawning, 

 from eighteen to twenty pound weight, along with a small male fish, were 

 caught. Mr. Ramsbottom having taken the largest female in his left hand, 

 drew his fingers firmly down both sides of the belly of the fish, when the 

 ova flowed in a stream into the tin box formerly mentioned, in which there 

 were a few inches of water. The fish was instantly returned to the river, 

 and, after a short time, sailed off as if nothing had happened to it. 



After the ova had been washed, by water being poured on and ofi" — care 

 beirjg taken never to allow it to be exposed to the air — the male fish was 

 brought (which all this time had been in the river under a fold of the net, 

 and manipulated in the same manner as the female, only a small portion of 

 milt being required. On the milt being shed a slight change was seen to 

 take place in the colour of the ova, which became paler. Water was again 

 poured on and off, when the operation was complete. The ova were then 

 poured into round tin cases and carried to the ponds; when we left the river 

 side upwards of four hundred thousand ova in fine condition had been obtained. 

 We observed that a few of the ova, after impregnation, turned white, instead 

 of being a fine salmon colour. Mr. Ramsbottom said they were barren ova. 



In the month of March the fry will have burst their shells, when we hope 

 to report further. 



We should be obliged for any further information on this interesting subject. 

 — B. R. M. 



